Another week, another milestone for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
The 5-1 rout of Sparta Prague last night meant that the German has now clocked up his 1,000th goal since arriving on Merseyside in October 2015, with three months of his reign still to play out.
To mark the occasion, The Athletic has broken down that tally to highlight who, when, where and how Klopp’s goals have arrived and asked our experts — plus renowned Liverpool fans — what their favourites are.
Breaking down the goals
Who has supplied them?
No surprise that Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino lead the way in terms of goals scored in the Klopp era, given they made up one of the Premier League’s most devastating front-lines during their time together. A word, too, for Virgil van Dijk, who brought his tally to an impressive 23 in the recent Carabao Cup final.
Salah also leads the way when it comes to assists, underlining his remarkable ability to create and convert, although Trent Alexander-Arnold may overtake him by the time Klopp finally says farewell at the end of May.
When and where have they been scored?
Liverpool’s goals tallies have, inevitably, mirrored their fortunes under Klopp, with big spikes in their most successful seasons. The outlier is the 2017-18 campaign, when they finished fourth in the Premier League and made relatively early exits in the domestic cups, only for a remarkable 47 goals in the Champions League — helping them reach the final — to make up the difference.
In terms of competition, Klopp’s love affair with the Champions League at Liverpool — who have reached three finals under his leadership — is reflected in a final tally of 150 goals.
Who have they been scored against?
With the obvious caveat that this is, to a degree, shaped by the number of games he has played against these opponents, it is still striking that Arsenal and Manchester City feature in the top five of Klopp’s ‘favourite’ opponents.
The Arsenal figure at the top of the table is especially impressive — 10 goals clear of Bournemouth (who conceded nine in one game to Liverpool last season).
How have they been scored?
Despite Klopp’s most prolific goalscorer, Salah, being left-footed, right-footed shots dominate in a breakdown of all goals scored in his reign (excluding own goals). A special mention, too, for Luis Diaz’s shoulder, which contributed a precious equaliser at Luton Town this season.
When have they been scored?
Proof here, if any were needed, of how Liverpool’s relentless pressing style pays off. Tired opponents tend to concede late on against Klopp’s sides, although the 76-90 minutes category here includes stoppage time.
How does Klopp compare to other Liverpool managers?
In terms of other Liverpool managers, none come close to Klopp with regards to goalscoring: the next quickest to reach 1,000 goals is Bill Shankly, the club’s first great transformational manager who led them from 1959 to 1974.
Our favourite goals
Mohamed Salah: Liverpool 2 Manchester United 0, 2020
James Pearce, The Athletic Liverpool correspondent
This selection is all about the torrent of emotion the goal unleashed in the title-winning season.
Anxiety levels had been cranked up during the closing stages at Anfield as United threatened to cancel out Liverpool’s narrow lead. But then Alisson collected a scuffed shot, looked up, spotted Salah in space and found him with remarkable precision.
The Egyptian ran half the length of Anfield, held off the attentions of Dan James and slotted past David de Gea in front of the Kop.
Cue bedlam. Salah whipped off his shirt and held out his arms triumphantly. Somehow Alisson won the race with his team-mates to be the first to mob the goal scorer.
Anfield cut loose. Until that point, nobody wanted to tempt fate. Once bitten, twice shy and all that. But in the knowledge that Liverpool were moving 16 points clear, the Kop delivered a booming rendition of, “Now you’re gonna believe us, we’re gonna win the league.” It was spine-tingling.
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A global pandemic delayed the coronation but that was the day when Liverpool told the world the 30-year drought was over.
Dan Sandison, founder of Mundial magazine and creative consultant
Before that moment against United, we’d been burned several times over by singing, “We’re gonna win the league.” But that goal was when we knew once and for all — the long, long wait was about to be over.
Route one. Shirt off. Magic.
Alisson: West Brom 1 Liverpool 2, 2021
Caoimhe O’Neill, The Athletic reporter
I don’t think a goal will ever bring me as much joy in my living room as Alisson’s against West Brom.
Liverpool had to win the game or their Champions League hopes for the 2021-22 season (where they went on to reach the final) would be over. Get Alexander-Arnold on the corner. Get the holy goalie in the box. Hit and head and hope.
One of the last games without fans amid the ongoing pandemic, it was a goal for our dogs to bark at as we ran around the couch. And a goal dedicated by a grieving son to his late father, Jose.
Adam Lallana: Norwich 4 Liverpool 5, 2016
Mark Carey, The Athletic tactics writer
In the years preceding Klopp’s arrival, Liverpool had gone through a period of managers whose touchline demeanour was rather considered.
Brendan Rodgers would often be scribbling down notes. Rafael Benitez would notoriously not celebrate a goal. Roy Hodgson would… well, let’s not go there.
When Adam Lallana scored a 95th-minute winner to seal a dramatic 5-4 victory at Norwich, Jurgen Klopp didn’t just celebrate. He spotted Lallana’s (shirtless) run towards the dugout and met him halfway down the touchline. A swarm of red shirts followed, with the subsequent pile-on resulting in Christian Benteke slapping Klopp’s glasses from his face in the furore.
Little more than three months into his tenure, Liverpool fans knew what kind of manager they had. Klopp’s glasses may have been broken that day, but Lallana’s goal — and the subsequent celebrations — signalled that Liverpool’s spirit was growing stronger.
Dejan Lovren: Liverpool 4 Borussia Dortmund 3, 2016
Kelly Cates, broadcaster
There have obviously been bigger games and better performances but we did a phone-in on BBC Radio 5 Live after the final whistle and it was just a series of bewildered people trying to work out what had happened.
It was the first big result and set the tone for the fun and games ahead. Goals like that became the norm.
Lewis Koumas: Liverpool 3 Southampton 0, 2024
Steph, Lewis Koumas’ mother
Seeing your youngest son walk out at Anfield was a surreal moment. Since about the age of two, Lewis has had a ball at his feet. A lifelong Red, signing for them at age 10 was the best day of his life. Then imagine how it felt seeing him score.
Lewis is a very attack-minded player, so I always knew there would be a chance he could score, but never in my wildest dreams did I think he would and certainly not on his debut. I couldn’t speak as I’ve been unwell with laryngitis. I just burst out crying.
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Seeing him celebrate with the other young lads who he’s played alongside and the first team players he has admired for so long was amazing as I know what it meant to him.
I can still see the little boy I used to drive all over the place to play in grassroots games like our early morning drives to Tranmere Rovers away games when he was an under-nines player.
The pride I felt seeing him achieve a dream he’s had for so long and the pride I had seeing him reap the rewards for all of his hard work will stay with me for the rest of my life.
It will always be our family’s favourite goal.
Georginio Wijnaldum: Cardiff 0 Liverpool 2, 2019
Simon Hughes, The Athletic football writer
The morning Georginio Wijnaldum larruped Liverpool into a lead at Cardiff in April 2019, I was throwing up at home, unsure of whether I should drive four hours to the south of Wales.
I won’t lie, the journey was a struggle as some of my journalist colleagues will testify. What I probably needed was a nice, easy match to report on. Instead, what followed was not good for anyone’s health because a draw here would have been catastrophic for Liverpool’s title challenge.
It looked to be heading that way before Alexander-Arnold delivered a corner which Wijnaldum swept home.
This happened right in front of me to the right of the press box. The sense of relief was enormous and this was captured in a photograph of Wijnaldum celebrating in the afternoon sunshine.
On the face of it, it did not prove to be a particularly important goal as Liverpool did not win the league that year.
Yet looking back, it was the start of a glorious six weeks that ended up with the team parading the Champions League trophy around in Madrid. As a supporter and a match reporter, I’m unsure whether this period will ever be bettered.
Mohamed Salah: Liverpool 4 Manchester United 0, 2022
Nick Power, keyboard player in English rock band, The Coral
Everything about it — the build-up, the no-look Mane assist, the finish — is pure Liverpool.
From Bill Shankly to Jurgen Klopp… total football.
GO DEEPER
The genius of Mohamed Salah – by Robbie Fowler (the man whose Liverpool record he beat)
Divock Origi: Liverpool 1 Everton 0, 2018
Tony Evans, The Athletic’s Walk On podcast presenter
Klopp radiates high drama and low comedy.
Origi’s goal captured the essence of this. Jordan Pickford panicked and the Everton goalkeeper pushed an aimless ball onto the bar. The striker, following up out of habit, scored a last-gasp derby winner. Jawdropping drama.
What did Klopp do next? He charged onto the pitch. Not to Origi but to hug Alisson, the player nearest the Everton section. This tale of two goalkeepers was a masterpiece of trolling and hilarity.
Emre Can: Liverpool 4 Hoffenheim 2, 2017
Andy Jones, The Athletic Liverpool reporter
“That’s football!”
Klopp could barely contain himself as he wheeled away to celebrate Liverpool’s third goal against Hoffenheim in a 2017 Champions League qualifier.
There were only 21 minutes on the clock when Emre Can tapped home but Anfield was alive and the group stages were in sight. Liverpool were back where they belonged, on the biggest European stage.
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The move itself was electric. It began with Alberto Moreno firing a ball into Firmino’s feet. With one touch, he laid it off to Wijnaldum, who showed brilliant vision to immediately release Mane in behind. Mane cut inside and into the box before deftly backheeling to Firmino. The Brazilian dinked it to the back post for Can to convert.
Swashbuckling, dynamic and ruthless; it was the definition of a goal scored by a Klopp team. He knew it and let everybody know.
There were many more dramatic and meaningful goals but this was a night which reignited Liverpool and Anfield’s love affair with the Champions League after two years away.
Divock Origi: Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0, 2019
Asif Kapadia, award-winning filmmaker
It has to be the “Corner taken quickly” goal. Most people around me missed it live as they were looking away or talking or had their heads in their hands.
I was watching Trent Alexander-Arnold and couldn’t believe it. To beat Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and that Barca team on that night without Salah and so many of our starters… 4-0!
It was like Istanbul. Never ever give up hope with Liverpool Football Club, particularly with the mentality and belief, positivity, the love, the energy Klopp brought with him. And that goal embodied it all.
I had to go to Cannes a week after that game for the premiere of my Diego Maradona film. I had to do press for days on end, but my voice had still not come back from that night at Anfield.
Colin Murray, broadcaster
The right answer is Origi’s goal against Barcelona. I just don’t think there’s a higher moment.
I was there and still, to this day, I don’t know whether I saw the ball go in. It was one of those Istanbul-style slow-motion goals. It was just so bizarre. It was such an old-school thing to do, as well, to pretend to walk away from the corner.
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I’ve watched it so many times: Trent hits it on a sixpence and it’s Origi and it just adds to the whole cult legend around him.
In terms of the indomitable spirit that people attach to so many of Klopp’s biggest moments, that goal is exhibit A.
It didn’t feel like Origi’s moment or Trent’s moment. It felt like, emotionally, it was everyone’s.
Moya Dodd, former Australia international and FIFA council member
Corner taken quickly… Origi!
Not only for its sheer cheek but because it showed such superior awareness and completed a miracle result from 3-0 down.
Willie Isa, Wigan Warriors rugby league player
The first thing that came into my mind was, “Corner taken quickly, Origi.” Unfortunately, I didn’t have a ticket for that game and that’s probably one of the few matches I couldn’t go to.
Watching at home was nerve-wracking at first but then Gini Wijnaldum scored the third goal. He was ‘angry Gini’ that night because he wasn’t happy starting as a substitute. But he came on, scored that goal, and suddenly the heart was pumping and everyone had hope.
And then Trent — and then Origi. One of the best goals ever.
GO DEEPER
The Comeback, No. 14: Liverpool deepen Barcelona’s Champions League trauma
Divock Origi: Liverpool 2 Tottenham 0, 2019
Tom Burrows, The Athletic football news reporter
Yes, everyone will remember the goals in that crazy comeback against Barcelona but a swish of Origi’s left foot at the end of a cagey Champions League final against Tottenham in Madrid was the moment Liverpool fans could finally relax.
After the Barcelona drama under the Anfield lights, Origi was the hero again, arrowing a shot into the bottom corner to put Liverpool 2-0 up following a sustained spell of pressure from Spurs in a game in which Klopp’s side never really hit top gear.
After coming so close in the league that season, agonisingly losing to Manchester City by a single point despite racking up 97 points, as well as falling short in the Champions League final the season before, plus the Europa League and Carabao Cup finals in 2016, Klopp’s side had to shake off the nearly-men tag.
With Origi’s goal, they did just that, setting them off on a path to further glory and silverware.
(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)